Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

Farmers in Laos, U.S. allies during the Vietnam War, refugees in Thailand, citizens of the Western world—the stories of the Hmong who now live in America have been told in detail through books and articles and oral histories over the past several decades. Like any immigrant group, members of the first generation may yearn for the past as they watch their children and grandchildren find their way in the dominant culture of their new home. For Hmong people born and educated in the United States, a definition of self often includes traditional practices and tight-knit family groups but also a distinctly Americanized point of view. How do Hmong Americans negotiate the expectations of these two very different cultures?

In an engaging series of essays featuring a range of writing styles, leading scholars, educators, artists, and community activists explore themes of history, culture, gender, class, family, and sexual orientation, weaving their own stories into depictions of a Hmong American community where people continue to develop complex identities that are collectively shared but deeply personal as they help to redefine the multicultural America of today.

Vincent K. Her is an assistant professor of cultural anthropology at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. Mary Louise Buley-Meissner is an associate professor of English at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Since 2000 they have collaborated on many projects exploring the Hmong American experience.

Synopsis

Insightful, accessible, and eye-opening essays consider the life journeys of Hmong-American individuals, families, and communities as they participate in creating the ethnic and social fabric of this nation.

Synopsis

Farmers in Laos, U.S. allies during the Vietnam War, refugees in Thailand, settlers in the Western world--the stories of the Hmong have been told in detail through books and articles and oral histories over the past several decades. Like any immigrant group, the first generation may yearn for the past as they watch their children and grandchildren find their way in the dominant culture of their new home. For Hmong people born and educated in the United States, a definition of self often includes traditional practices and tight-knit family groups but also a fully Americanized point of view. How do these members of the -1.5- and second generation of American Hmong negotiate the expectations of these two cultures? How can their classmates and neighbors better understand what it means to be both Hmong and American? In this collection of essays, historians, sociologists, teachers, counselors, and artists explore the concepts of war, refugee status, resettlement, and assimilation, weaving their own stories into their depictions of a community that continues to develop complex identities, both abundantly shared and deeply personal. From the review by Mark Pfeifer: -The discussions and case studies presented on the different facets of contemporary Hmong identity are the most unique aspect of the Her/Buley-Meissner manuscript and provide the strongest argument for its publication. No other recent monograph has focused as exclusively or strongly on Hmong American identity to this degree.- From the review by Chia Youyee Vang: -The diversity of voices and perspectives makes this volume very powerful. Inclusion of scholars, creative writers and artists makes the volume interdisciplinary and potentially accessible to a broad audience ... Collectively, they show that Hmong culture has not been static; instead, Hmong culture and its traditions have served as sites of change and disagreement.-